India Test still slated for Adelaide despite coronavirus outbreak
SYDNEY: Cricket Australia said it was still planning to host the first Test against India in Adelaide next month despite moving players out of South Australia on Tuesday ater a cluster of new coronavirus cases in the state.
South Australia reimposed social distancing restrictions on Monday ater detecting 21 cases of the virus, most of which were acquired locally in Adelaide.
With neighbouring states starting to close the borders with South Australia to try to contain the outbreak, Cricket Australia shited international players from their Twenty20 and one-day squads north to Sydney.
India’s squad is already in quarantine in Sydney preparing for six limited-overs matches against Australia in November and December followed by the four-test series, which is scheduled to start at Adelaide Oval on Dec.17.
Cricket Australia said in a statement it “remained commited” to playing the first Test at the ground.
“CA has taken a pro-active approach and mobilised a number of people across the country over the past 24 hours to shore up our men’s domestic and international schedules,” said interim chief executive Nick Hockley.
“CA will continue to monitor the situation in South Australia and the resulting border restrictions around the country. As ever, we will remain agile in addressing the challenges presented by the pandemic and remain more confident than ever of hosting a safe and successful summer across all formats.”
The Adelaide Strikers and the other South Australia-based players preparing for the Big Bash League were also moved out of the state to a training camp on the New South Wales coast ahead of the start of the domestic Twenty20 league on Dec. 10. South Australia was more successful than New South Wales and Victoria at containing the virus when it first arrived in Australia and hosted the first four rounds of the domestic Sheffield Shield competition from mid-october.
PUCOVSKI READY FOR DEBUT: Meanwhile, young batsman Will Pucovski, who has been named in Australia’s Test squad for the upcoming four-match series against India, says he is ready for to make his debut.
Pucovski, who is among the five uncapped players named in the 17-man squad, has made a strong case for selection in the playing XI with back-to-back double centuries for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.
“It’s been a long journey but I don’t think I could be in a much beter place to take this challenge on,” Pucovski told SEN Radio.
He further said he is beter prepared to make his Test debut compared to couple of seasons ago when he was selected for the Sri Lanka tour but had opted out citing mental health concerns.
“It’s something I’m really excited for, and people have their different journeys and mine’s taken a different path, but two years down the track from Sri Lanka when I was just about to turn 21, I feel like I’ve put in a mountain of work and that’s been to achieve my goal of hopefully succeeding and playing for Australia. So, if the opportunity comes, I definitely think I’m ready,” said the right-handed batsman.
“I feel like I’m in a much beter place to take the opportunity if it presents itself now than I may have been a couple of years ago,” he added.
Pucovski said he has matured with time and has worked a lot, both on and off the field, to make sure his life and cricket are both in a really good place.
He also said he can fit in anywhere in the top six in the current Australian line-up.
“Most of the team have done very well over the last year or two, so it is a good thing for Australian cricket that there’s so much depth in all areas of the team and maybe one advantage I do have is I am able to bat wherever is required,” Pucovski said.
“The current top six are going prety well, so it might just be one of those things where you just have to wait your turn, but as JL (Justin Langer) suggested if I keep performing well, I’m only puting myself in the best possible position. It’s one of those things where it’s out of my control, and wherever the opportunity presents itself, if it does, I’ll be ready to take it,” he added.
The four-test Border-gavaskar Trophy starts with the pink-ball match at the Adelaide Oval from Dec.17. Before that, India and Australia will compete in three ODIS and as many T20IS.